Mosquito larvae are clustered underneath the water’s surface while mature mosquitoes hover above.

How long do mosquitoes live for before they keel over dead or get splattered prematurely by the host they decided to feed on?

As this article explains, the lifespan of a mosquito can last as little as only a few weeks up to several months. Knowing the lifecycle of a mosquito allows experienced exterminators to easily find and kill these pests. For you, knowing how long mosquitoes live and where they will breed is a vital step in finding these bloodsuckers and keeping them from selecting you as its next host.

What Is the Lifespan of a Mosquito?

Different species of mosquitoes have varying life expectancies. Some mosquitoes live for about a month, with half of that time spent in the egg and larva stage. These species of mosquitoes are the ones that will usually appear after a heavy rain, flood, or high tide. They are usually only around long enough to hatch, breed, feed, then die. Other species of mosquitoes can live 5 months at a time and reproduce several times during their life.

Lifecycle of a Mosquito

A mosquito has four stages in its life cycle that include the egg, larva, pupa, and adult phases.

Egg

Mosquitoes lay their eggs in groups as many as 400 on top of stagnating water in what looks like a raft of eggs. The mosquito will lay its eggs in the water because the early stages of a mosquito’s life requires them to be in water to survive.

Larva

When the weather is warm enough for the eggs to hatch, out comes the second stage of the mosquito’s life, the mosquito larvae. A mosquito larva (singular) is a small, white, and cylindrical creature that wriggles itself around feeding off the single-celled organisms around it in the water. The larvae still breathe oxygen through their tail end as they sit in the water. The larvae have to come up for air like a whale or dolphin.

Pupa

After six days to three weeks of being in the larva stage, they will enter into the next stage of life called the pupa stage. The mosquito pupa will float on the surface of the water and breathe through two little horns positioned on their head.

Adult

Once the pupa cracks open, the mosquito emerges as an adult and sits on the surface of the water waiting for its wings to dry out. Occasionally male adults will wait around for female pupa to mature and fertilize her eggs immediately. Once this happens, they are on the hunt for a blood-filled host to nourish her eggs.

How Long Do Female vs. Male Mosquitoes Live?

As you may have heard before, the female mosquitoes are the real blood suckers. A male mosquito could not bite you if he tried as they are not equipped with the long jabbing proboscis that females are.

The male mosquito feeds on the nectar of plants, lives only a few harmless weeks in the summer, and drops dead after he has fertilized the female’s eggs.

After the female’s eggs have been fertilized, she will either lay her eggs immediately or sleep all winter and lay her eggs the next spring. This is common among Culex pipiens, otherwise known as the house mosquito. These mosquitoes hide in attics and obscure places in order to get out of the deathly chill of winter.

Where Do Mosquitoes Breed?

Mosquitos need only a small amount of water to breed, so make sure that there are no instances of sitting water in or around your home. A puddle of water under a leaky sink can give a house mosquito enough space to lay its eggs. Although it is rare for a mosquito to lay its eggs inside your home, if it does happen, you might be in trouble.

When a mosquito is outdoors, their opportunity for a place to live increases tremendously. Any amount of stagnant water around your property can attract mosquitoes. The water is the natural home of the mosquito as they are aqueous insects in the first stages of life.

Do Mosquitoes Die When They Bite You?

Unlike bumble bees, mosquitoes do not die after they bite you. On the contrary, the mosquito needs a host to reproduce.

The mosquito draws blood from a host in order to provide its eggs with the protein and iron that they need to develop.

The only time a mosquito dies after biting you is when it is not sneaky enough to avoid the splattering force of a human hand.

How Long Do Mosquitoes Live After They Bite You?

When an adult female mosquito draws blood from a host, she is about to lay her eggs. The amount of time that a mosquito will live after biting you will depend on several things like the species of the mosquito and how long it has previously lived.

Different species of mosquitoes live longer than others and breed differently as well. Some species of mosquitoes will only breed once before dying, but others can breed multiple times over their life lasting several months.

How Long Can Mosquitoes Live Without Food or Blood?

As mentioned before, mosquitoes actually feed on the nectar of flowers during spring and summer months. The female mosquitoes only need a blood meal when they need the nutrients blood provides to their eggs. The female mosquito will search for a blood meal every two to three nights to nourish her eggs.

Mosquitoes are also known to go into a dormant state like hibernation during winter months which can last up to six months. A female mosquito may even feed before the winter and stay dormant during this six-month period waiting to lay her eggs the next spring or summer.

Mosquito Control With Clegg’s

Knowing the mosquito life cycle and all of its habits is an important factor in mosquito control. When you know where to look for pests and how they act in nature, it is much easier to track the insect you are attempting to exterminate.

Over at Clegg’s Pest Control, we are experts when it comes to the habits of mosquitoes. If you think that you may have a mosquito infestation on your property, we can check it out. The thing about our mosquito extermination services that our customers love is our free inspection. Before paying a penny, we will examine your situation and give you suggestions on what should be done. We guarantee that our professional advice will have your home and yard mosquito-free for the summer.

CLEGG’S PEST CONTROL CAN SOLVE YOUR ANT PROBLEM

If you have ever seen an ant in your house then you know that there is never just one. Ants live in large groups called colonies. Often times their nests are underground or inside trees, but sometimes ants move in and make their colony in the walls of a house or building. Inside of your home, ants can nest behind baseboards, moldings, countertops, inside walls, or even in your dishwasher. A single ant colony can live and reproduce for years with one queen, making them extremely hard to get rid of if they have set up residence in your home. Depending upon where the colony has made its nest, you may need to contact our team to control the infestation.

Surprisingly, what ants are attracted to actually changes throughout the year depending on where they are in their mating cycle. In the spring for example, when they are just beginning the mating and colonizing phase, they tend to be more attracted to high protein foods such as meat scraps left in the trash, peanut butter, other insects, or fats like grease, oil, and butter. As the summer continues, the new generation of ants requires more quick energy to grow and expand the nest so the ants will seek carbohydrates to eat for energy. This leads ants to be more attracted to sweets like crumbs and leftovers, spilled drinks, and garden produce.
No matter if the ants are entering your home in search of the food source they need, or if they have built up a residence in your walls, most people agree that getting them out is necessary. Contact our team to schedule your FREE initial inspection and get rid of ants in your home today.

TYPES OF ANTS

ODOROUS HOUSE ANTS

These ants have one node that is hidden by their abdomen and are dark brown to black in color. They are most often found in kitchens. When this ant is crushed it emits a coconut odor which signifies its name. Like the Argentine Ants, these ants may be found under mulch, along foundations, or underneath some form of debris. As with many ants, food sources will draw them out. If you have mulch or debris around the foundation of your home then you need to ensure that all cracks and crevices are sealed to prevent an inside invasion. Locating the nest is the surest way to eliminate the infestation but this is very difficult therefore bait is used on the ant trails which will lead the toxin back to the colony.

ACROBAT ANTS

These ants are yellowish brown to dark brown and are a little longer than 1/8 inch. Their abdomen is heart shaped and when disturbed they try to carry their abdomen above the rest of their body. If nesting outdoors they usually nest in decaying or dead wood. When foraging indoors they like wood or a damp wall cavity to nest in. A spray treatment should be performed in all areas these ants are found and drilling may be required to treat any wall voids that have become infested.

FIRE ANTS

Fire ants are red with 2 nodes and a stinger which sets them aside from most other ants. Fire ants are usually found outdoors versus indoors however when they do venture indoors it is usually along the edge of carpet. If you follow the trail back to the entry point then the mound is usually not far. We treat the mound(s) itself as well as the trail of ants.

How to Get Rid of Fire Ants: Read Article

Fire Ant Queen: Read Article

Fire Ant Mound: Read Article

CARPENTER ANTS

Carpenter ants have one node (circled) and an evenly rounded thorax. Carpenter vary is color and size but most are large and a blackish color. Parent colony lives in constant moisture. Satellite colonies are usually involved in infestations. Carpenter ants are most active at night, and the sound of a colony resembles that of wrinkling up cellophane. Colonies may exist in several areas including: wood, wall voids, hollow voids, under insulation, etc. Treatment usually involves the use of a dust and/or aerosol to flush out the existing colony.

Signs of Carpenter Ants: Read Article

Carpenter Ant vs Termite Damage: Read Article

Carpenter Ant Queen: Read Article

Carpenter Ant Bite: Read Article

What Do Carpenter Ants Eat: Read Article

FIELD ANTS

Field ants are black, brown, tan, reddish, or red and black in color. Field ants have 3 small eyes in the middle of their head (between their 2 compound eyes). Field ants are not usually found inside but rather around structures or under piles of wood, brick, or rocks. Once the colony is located, the mound itself is treated to eliminate the problem.

LITTLE BLACK ANTS

Black ants are tiny in size and are jet black in color. Little black ants occasionally invade homes but are usually found in the soil or nesting in the masonry or woodwork of a structure. Treating the colony itself is the best way to eliminate this ant. Indoor treatments may include the use of dust to treat wall voids.

How to Get Rid of Tiny Black Ants: Read Article

PAVEMENT ANTS

Pavement ants also have 2 nodes and are usually found in one of 3 places: 1) Outside along the foundation 2) Beneath slab foundation 3) Inside hollow foundation walls. Pavement ants may also be found trailing along the edge of carpets. Displaced soil indicates colony locations. They are a small brown to black ant with pale legs; their abdomen is black. Treatment is most successful when the colony itself is located and then treated. Depending on colony site, drilling may be required in order to apply the appropriate chemical.

PHARAOH ANTS

Pharaoh ants have 2 nodes (circled left) and are usually found traveling wires, the plumbing in walls, or inside wall outlet boxes. Baiting is the only effective treatment method for pharaoh ants. Pharaoh ants are known to have many colonies therefore all ant trails need to be baited. They are very small ants, usually light yellow to red in color with black markings on their abdomen.

CITRONELLA ANTS

Citronella Antsare usually light yellow to light reddish brown with small eyes and they have a citronella odor when crushed. Nest sites usually include open pastures, gardens, lawns, or around a home’s foundation. They may also be found underneath a concrete slab or inside of or underneath a timber that has become rotten. There are 2 species: the worker and the swarmer. The swarmers are almost twice the size of the workers and have smoke colored wings. Once colony is located the mound itself is treated to eliminate the problem.

ARGENTINE ANTS

Argentine Ants are a one node ant and that one node is sharply peaked. They are usually dull brown in color and when they are crushed a musty odor usually follows. Argentine ants are usually found outside under mulch, foundation slabs, or inside of a tree or shrub. We check all items that come in contact with the soil and treat all mounds that are located. On some occasions drilling may be required in order to treat a void that a colony may be inhabiting.

GHOST ANTS

Ghost Ants are a one node ant, very small in size, and pale in color. A rotten odor is emitted when ghost ants are crushed. Eliminating harborage sites around the foundation of a structure will help reduce the chance for an infestation of ghost ants. Ghost ants also travel inside along carpet edges, moldings, windowsills, electrical outlets, and any area near a water source. Finding the nest site by following the trail is the key to eliminating the infestation.

CRAZY ANTS

Crazy Ants are a one node ant, relatively small in size. They have extraordinarily long legs and are dark brown to blackish in color. Crazy ants are most easily identified by their zig-zag like movement. The crazy ant adapts very well to its environment whether it is a dry or wet habitat. We check all items that come in contact with the soil and treat all mounds that are located. On some occasions drilling may be required in order to treat a void that a colony may be inhabiting.

WHITE FOOTED ANTS

White Footed Ants have a hidden node. Its body color is darker than that of the odorous house ant and the end of their legs are a yellowish white color. These ants like to nest in soil, in old trees, and various other damp locations that have may provided a good nesting site. Their 2 preferred sources of food are dead insects and food with lots of sugar. Once the colony has been located the mound needs to be treated in addition to a perimeter spray performed around the infested site.

BIG HEADED ANTS

Big Headed Ants are a dimorphic species which means the worker ants vary in size. These ants are small in size and are yellowish or light to dark brown in color. The major worker has a large head for its body size whereas the minor worker’s head is more proportionate to its body size. These ants will nest in open areas but are usually found in the soil beneath a protective covering such as firewood or landscape timbers. Individual mounds should be drenched to eliminate the colony. Bait is effective for indoor treatments.

THIEF ANTS

Thief ants have 2 nodes, very small eyes, and is yellow to light brown in color. These ants normally nest outside in the soil underneath rocks. If these ants move inside they usually nest in wall voids or behind baseboards. Nests are hard to locate because they will travel long distances for food. These ants eat almost anything but prefer meats, fats, and grease. Ant bait is the most effective control method to use for thief ants.

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Do you think you may have an infestation?  Don’t waste any more time.  We need to fortify your defenses against an array of formidable foes.  We offer a wide array of residential as well as commercial grade services throughout North Carolina.

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